Cost of Living Comparison Between Denton, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Denton, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,273 in Denton, TX versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,287 in Denton, TX versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Denton, TX versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Denton, TX is roughly 81% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Denton, TX is 70% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 $14.74

$11.99 MX$210

22.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 $64.5

$41.78 MX$731

54.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 $8.99

$10.75 MX$188

-16.37%

Cappuccino

$4.80 $4.80

$3.50 MX$61.1

37.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.45 MX$25.33

41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.88 MX$15.47

92.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.95 MX$51.6

95.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 $6.12

$4.51 MX$78.9

35.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.43 MX$25.04

-42.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.84 MX$32.13

53.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.57 MX$27.42

159.24%

Eggs

$3.80 $3.80

$2.51 MX$43.92

51.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 $11.36

$8.28 MX$145

37.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 $10.37

$8.43 MX$147

23.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$10.68 MX$187

5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.61 MX$45.62

68.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.44 MX$25.15

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.96 MX$34.31

115.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.09 MX$36.62

120.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.85 MX$32.37

55.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.17 MX$37.90

0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.03 MX$18.04

66.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.07 MX$18.78

120.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 $11.12

$4.10 MX$71.7

171.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.91 $10.91

$10.17 MX$178

7.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.68 MX$29.29

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.53 MX$44.17

-7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.51 MX$8.90

288.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.62 $48.62

$26.04 MX$455

86.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 $2.32

$3.23 MX$56.5

-28.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.41 MX$42.06

-49.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.67 $29.67

$3.23 MX$56.5

818.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.32 MX$23.10

-43.18%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.2K $24.2K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-18.60%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.7K $23.7K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

0.00%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$234 $234

$82.0 MX$1,434

184.92%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$22.95 MX$401

216.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.0 $82.0

$30.11 MX$527

172.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.57 $26.57

$52.0 MX$909

-48.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 $10.10

$4.98 MX$87.0

102.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,586 $1,586

$197 MX$3,452

703.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

336.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.30 $44.30

$35.60 MX$622

24.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.01 $39.01

$40.33 MX$705

-3.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 $58.8

$78.8 MX$1,377

-25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 $74.7

$88.9 MX$1,555

-15.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$947 MX$16.6K

45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 $1,039

$474 MX$8,288

119.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,777 $2,777

$1,644 MX$28.7K

68.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 $1,815

$1,211 MX$21.2K

49.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,187 $5,187

$4,056 MX$70.9K

27.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,363 $3,363

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-48.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,779 $3,779

$654 MX$11.4K

478.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

11.42

-43.52%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Denton, TX: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,374 in Denton, TX and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denton, TX pays 478% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Denton, TX vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Denton, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 81% lower than in Denton, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 478% higher in Denton, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,374 in Denton, TX versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Denton, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $65.0 in Denton, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,273 in Denton, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Denton, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,256 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Denton, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.